


Things We Have To Say

by UniverseInk



Category: Homestuck
Genre: Dave talks about his childhood, Emotional Abuse, Physical Abuse, descriptions of past abuse
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-21
Updated: 2015-07-21
Packaged: 2018-04-10 10:34:38
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,367
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4388498
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/UniverseInk/pseuds/UniverseInk
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Post-game AU in which the kids' guardians are brought back to life in the new universe. Most of them are thrilled to see their long-lost family members, but Dave is dreading it. And when Bro finally makes an appearance, he snaps.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Things We Have To Say

**Author's Note:**

> Heed the tags, this gets pretty heavy

After the game dropped the survivors into the new universe, they decided to stay together in one large house. None of them were quite ready to integrate back into society, so for the time being they would stick together.  
A surprise came a few weeks after the end of the game, when Jane’s father showed up at their door. They had all thought he had died on Derse, but they had never seen a body, so they figured they were mistaken. Then, a few days later, Rose’s mother found her way to them. Then Dirk’s bro and Jade’s Grandpa. Over time all the guardians returned. All of them except Dave’s bro, that is.  
He brushed it off, joking that maybe the man had gotten lost. Inside, however, he was relieved. In all honesty he never wanted to see Bro again. He was quite content to hang out with his friends and their guardians, he didn’t need anyone else.  
Then one day there was a knock at the door. Jane went to answer it, and when she returned, she was followed by a man with spiky blond hair and pointed shades.  
“Hey Dave, guess who’s here?” she said.  
“Who?” Dave asked, not turning away from his chess game with Rose.  
“Hey little man,” Bro said, smirking. Dave’s whole body went tense and without thinking he stood and dropped his sword out of his strife specibus into his hand. Dirk, who had emerged from the kitchen, pulled Jane out of the way as Dave swung at his guardian. Bro ducked the blade and pulled out his own sword, blocking Dave’s next strike. The clanging of metal on metal brought the other members of the house running to the living room.  
After a few minutes of fighting, Dave was standing above Bro with his sword pointed at the man’s neck.  
“Huh, looks like you finally beat me, kid,” Bro tried to stand.  
“Shut up and stay down,” Dave growled.  
“Dave-”  
“Stay out of this Rose!”  
“Man, what’s got your panties in a bunch?” Bro laughed.  
“Shut up. You’re just a pathetic piece of shit, and I’m not scared of you anymore. You made my life a living hell and I’m still recovering from the shit you did to me.”  
“What are you-”  
“I said SHUT UP!” Dave screamed. “Y’know, I could kill you right now. Or maybe just cut you up a little. Give you some scars to match mine. But I’m not going to. Because I’m a better person than you.” Dave stepped back and threw his sword to the side. “Now get out.” Bro stood.  
“Now listen here you little shit-”  
“I believe Dave told you to leave,” Rose’s voice came from behind Dave, cold and threatening. She surreptitiously pulled out her needles.  
“You know I distinctly remember him saying that,” growled Karkat, stepping up to Dave’s side.  
“I’m not leaving until I get a damn explanation.” Dave opened his mouth, but before he could speak he was cut off by the roar of Kanaya’s chainsaw.  
“You will leave now, or I will be forced to use this. And before you get any ideas, I’m quite skilled at separating people’s torso’s from their legs.”  
“I’m not gonna stand here and be threatened by some kids!”  
“Well, I’m afraid you’re not just dealing with kids here,” said John’s father. “If you intend to stay, you’ll have to deal with everyone in this household.”  
“I’m Dave’s brother! I deserve to see him! Who the hell are the rest of you?”  
“We’re family,” said Rose. Bro opened his mouth to speak but was stopped by Dave.  
“Dude, just go.” After a moment Bro turned around and stormed off. When he heard the door slam shut Dave collapsed on the ground, shaking.  
“Dave, fuck, are you okay?” Karkat dropped down next to his boyfriend. Dave lifted his head to reveal that he was laughing, tears rolling down his face.  
“Are you kidding me? I’m fucking great. I’ve been wanting to teach that motherfucker a lesson for years.”  
“Good, now don’t scare me like that again, bulgemunch.”  
“Love you too Karkat.”  
“Yeah, yeah, whatever,” Karkat smiled.  
“Um, I get that this is an emotional moment,” said John. “But can someone please explain what the hell just happened?”  
“John, i hardly think now is the time to be pestering Dave about-”  
“Nah, Rose, it’s fine. I’m sure most of you are wondering why the fuck I kicked my Bro out. Shit, break out the popcorn, it’s story time. But if we’re gonna go in depth about this, y’all are probably gonna want to sit down.”  
The house’s inhabitants gathered on the couches and chairs in the living room. Dave sat between Karkat and Rose.  
“So uh, this is kinda hard to talk about, but let’s just jump right in. My Bro was a terrible guardian. And I don’t mean that we fought a lot or that he was just a jerk. I mean that he literally made my life a living nightmare.   
“When he wasn’t beating the shit out of me, he was setting up hidden cameras or sneaking around with Cal. And it wasn’t like the house was a safe place either. There were weapons all over the fucking place, and there was never food in the fridge. If I wanted to store food I had to hide it in my closet. And he never did anything for me. Ever since I could walk I was on my own. And I I needed anything I had to strife him for it. And strifing basically just meant him beating the shit out of me with a sword.   
“I mean, I idolized the guy, but he never gave a damn about me. He never once told me he cared or that he loved me. I mean he must have fucking hated me to have done the shit he did, cutting me to goddamn ribbons and then leaving me to patch myself up. With the amount of serious injuries I’ve gotten, you’d think I’d have been to the hospital at least a hundred times. But I’ve never been. Not even when I broke my arm after he shoved me down the stairs. He set it himself and called me a pussy for needing his help.  
“And that’s not even everything, but I don’t think you need to hear everything anyways. So uh, any questions?”  
Everyone in the room stared at Dave in shocked silence. Half of them were crying. Eventually Jade drew in a stuttering breath and spoke.  
“You uh, you said something about scars earlier?”  
“Oh, yeah.” Dave pulled off his shirt and a gasp echoed throughout the room. His tan chest was covered in white and red lines, the worst of which was raised and ran from his right underarm to below his navel.   
“All of those are from him?” Roxy’s lip trembled as she spoke.  
“Well, no. Some of them are from the game. But I mean, most of them are from him.”  
“How old were you when, y’know, when he started doing this?” John asked hesitantly.   
“I don’t know, actually. I don’t remember a time where he wasn’t beating the shit out of me on a daily basis.” Dirk buried his face in his hands, drawing a few gazes. “Oh, and I don’t want any of you blaming Dirk for this. It wasn’t him, not really.”  
“So,” started Jane. “What happens now? What do you need from us?”  
“Honestly, just treat me like you always have. I’m still the same guy. Just cause I had a shitty childhood doesn’t mean I want you guys treating me like I’m made of glass.”  
“I think we can manage that,” said Roxy. Just then a timer sounded.  
“Oh, I forgot,” said Jane. “I was making cookies.” She dashed out of the room, wiping her eyes.  
“Alright, let’s stop wallowing in my past and go eat some of Jane’s delicious food.” The tense air that had settled on the room began to dissipate, and people stood and stretched.  
“Hey, Dave,” Rose said quietly.  
“Yeah, what’s up?”  
“I’m proud of you. You did the right thing.”  
“I know. But it doesn’t feel like it.”  
“It will eventually.”


End file.
